ZOOK.-Ulrich and Peter Zug, brothers, came from Switzerland in 1719, family
tradition says from the neighborhood of Lake Zug, and that the cause of
their leaving home was religious persecution. Ulrich settled near
Elizabeth, in Lancaster County, and Peter near Germantown. Peter brought
with him a German family Bible, of Luther's translation, which was printed
in Zurich in 1589, and is still preserved in the family. He belonged to
the religious sect termed Amish, or Omish, and for several generations his
descendants remained of the same faith.
In 1770, Morritz Zug, son of Peter, purchased and removed to the property
in West Whiteland township now owned by his descendant, Jacob M. Zook. The
family record of Morris Zug, as found in the old German Bible, is John,
born 1748; Christian, 1750; Henry, Ascension-day, 1752; Jacob, 1757; Ein
Dochter ist geboren, 1759; Abraham, 1761; Francis, 1763.
Jacob Zug, son of Morritz, on the death of his father, became the owner
of the property. In his time the spelling of the name was anglicized to
Zook. he was the father of thirteen children,-Magdaline, born 1780;
Francis and a twin, who died an infant; Nancy; John, born April 1, 1786;
Charity, Leah, Rachel, Elizabeth, Christian, and a twin, who died an
infant; Jacob, born 1803; and Phebe, born 1808. The mother of these
children, and first wife of Jacob Zook, was Gertrude Kenege. His second
wife was Mary Willauer, by whom he had one son, Maurice, who died in
infancy.
John Zook, the eldest son of Jacob, inherited the farm of his father.
He
married, in 1815, Elizabeth Mast, whose grandfather, Jacob Mast, came from
Germany, an orphan, aged twelve years, in 1750. John Zook was a man of
strict integrity, and led a long and useful life. He died in 1868.
his
wife, Elizabeth, was a woman of marked usefulness, and ever ready to act
the part of a neighbor in the truest sense of the term.
Their children were Isaac m., born 1817; Elhanan, 1819; Jacob M., April
19, 1821; Rachel M., 1823; Mary, Ann, Elizabeth, John, and Elmira A.
Jacob M. Zook married Rebecca, daughter of George G. Ashbridge, of
Downingtown. Their children are Mary T., Rachel V. A., Elizabeth, Jane D.,
and Jacob. These children are the fifth generation of the family who have
resided in the old homestead.